Worse still, City should have had a penalty moments earlier after David Silva was brought down in the box leaving a bitter taste after such an accomplished display against the Bundesliga champions.
Though Joe Hart – at his brilliant best - was the busier of the two keepers, the sky blues had more than done enough to earn a vital point in the opening Champions League group game in Germany.
For some reason, City just don’t seem to get the rub of the green in this competition.
With several high profile injuries, a reported lack of zip in Bundesliga games so far and complaints of World Cup fatigue, it seemed if there ever was a good time to take on the German champions at the Allianz, perhaps this was it
...Match report..
Pep Guardiola’s side were denied the services of Franck Ribery, Thiago Alcantara, Holger Badstuber, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez and Arjen Robben – though the latter did make the bench – while Manuel Pellegrini was still without Fernando, Stevan Jovetic and the suspended Pablo Zabaleta.
If familiarity really does breed contempt, a sixth meeting in three years – this being the fourth visit to the Allianz for City during that period - it didn’t show in the run up to the game which suggested these are two clubs who have the utmost respect for each other.
And if there were any thoughts that the Premier League champions were up against a weakened side, Bayern’s first attack quickly dispelled such foolishness as an incisive move after just 40 seconds appeared to have given the hosts the lead
...Bayern 1 City 0...
A succession of short passes saw Thomas Muller break free inside the box, round Joe Hart and as he shot towards the empty net half the stadium were on their feet celebrating a goal - but it was an optical illusion. A combination of Hart and
Bacary Sagnahad forced him wide enough to miss and though the ball rolled along the back of the goal, it was on the right side of the net as far as City were concerned.
It was a reminder - if one were needed – that Bayern are one of the best teams in the competition and nothing less than total focus from start to finish from the visitors was required.
Edin Dzeko prodded City’s first real effort at goal just past the quarter-hour mark but Manuel Neuer was equal to the task as the visitors began to warm to the task, but at the other end, Hart was forced to make two excellent saves in the space of two minutes not long after.
First he turned Muller’s powerful close range header over and he then parried away a fierce shot from Mario Gotze as the hosts pressed for the opening goal.
But City continued to trade punches with the Germans with Dzeko firing a curling shot not far wide and then Fernandinho just failing to connect with the Bosnian’s header on from a corner just before the half-hour mark.
In fact Dzeko was proving a real thorn in the Bayern defence and after making himself some space outside the box his pulled shot was just inches from the foot of Silva who almost timed his run into the six-yard box to perfection.
Then Hart was again called into action as David Alaba hit a crisp low drive that the England No.1 kept out with yet another smart save to his right. There was no time to relax as Robert Lewandowski burst through, rounded Hart before he too shot wide in almost a carbon copy of Muller’s first-minute miss as the chances continued to rack up in what was proving a fascinating tussle.
Sagna’s snap header five minutes before the break saw Neuer called into action as City again threatened from a set-piece – and the last real opportunity of an action-packed, entertaining half
...Bayern 1 City 0...
The second period began at a more gentile pace with City looking ever-more comfortable as the minutes ticked by, but Hart still had to keep on his toes with one deep cross seeing Bernat almost converting towards an empty goal before the England man recovered to tip the ball over.
City’s best chance of the game so far came on 63 minutes when Fernandinho picked out Jesus Navas who fizzed a fine cross that Silva dived at only to see his header skew wide – but it was further evidence of the sky blues’ growing confidence.
Both teams turned to their talismans in the latter stages as Sergio Aguero replaced Dzeko and Arjen Robben coming on for Muller and it wasn’t long before the Dutchman was attempting to hoodwink the referee as he went down like the proverbial dying swan as Fernandinho brushed against him in the box.
In contrast, five minutes later Aguero burst into the Bayern box and found Silva who was clearly felled by Benatia but the well-placed referee waved play on and in doing so denied City the chance of a penalty that could have changed the dynamics of the group dramatically.
Then, the sting in the tale as first Boateng lined up a 30-yard shot that Hart again saved well, then, moments later and with 90 minutes played, after a scramble in the box the former City man hit a superb half-volley into the top right-hand corner that gave Hart no chance.
It was always going to take something special to beat the City keeper who had been superb all night and the timing of the goal left Pellegrini’s men just added time to try and salvage a point they deserved.
And Aguero almost has the last word as he beat Dante to a ball in the box deep into injury time, but he toe-poked it a foot wide with Neuer beaten and yet again, City were forced to head back to England with heads held high, but alas no points to show for their endeavours.
